Spring mounting of field guns



Jan. 13, 1931. H; RQMBERG 1,788,890

SPRING MOUNTING OF FIELD GUNS Filed March 1B. 1930 /ATV 1:14 RN E Y.

Patented Jan. 13, 1931 STATES PATENT; QFFICE:

HEINRICH ROMBERG, 0F DUSSELDORF, (nrERlVIANY,` ASSIGNOR T0 RHEINISCHE-METALL- WAAREN- UND MASCHINENFABRIK, OF DUSSELDORF-DERENDORF, GERMANY, A

CORPORATION 0F GERMANY SPRING MOUNTING or FIELD GUNS Application med March 18, 1930, serial No'. 43eme, and in Germany rbruary'ii, 192e.

In known spring mountings for guns in which the springs can be hydraulically locked, the carriage is carried by metal springs disposed in a casing filled with liquid, mounted on the carriage axle; the springs abut at one end against a support provided in the casing, and at the other end against pistons displaceable fluid-tight in the casing; the piston rods projecting from' the casing engage with supporting members inserted between the axle and carriage (as shown, for example, in the German Patent No. 466,335). The pistons divide the interior oi' the casing into three compartments filled with liquid, but which are in communication by means of channels for the passageof the liquid, valves or other closing devices being provided in the passages. When the passages are open, the springs are allowed free play, but when the passages are closed the springs are locked.

The metal springs of these devices are liable to be broken and, since they are entirely surrounded with the casing filled with liquid, are not easily exchanged.

According to the invention, these drawbacks are obviated by replacing the metal springs by an air spring.

The cylinders in which the pistons slide are entirely filled with liquid and the air acting as the springs is enclosed in separate chambers partly filled with liquid. Each of these chambers is connected by a passage for the liow of liquid, and which can be closed at will, with a compartment of the cylinder on one or other side of the pistons. lVhen the passages are open, the spring system' has free play; when the passages are closed it is locked.

While, therefore, in the known spring mountings for guns in which the springs can be hydraulically locked, the compartments of the cylinder on each side of the pistons' are connected together by passages for the dow of liquid which can be closed; in the arrangement according to the invention each of the three compartments of the cylinder is connected by a passage with a chamber, partly iilled with liquid and partly with air, so that either all three passages,

or at least the passages leading fromthe pressure compartments Vof the cylinder, can be closed; i An example of an embodiment of the device according to the invention is represente in the accompanying drawing.

Figure l is avertical section through an axle-showing the general arrangement of the mounting. Y `Figure 2 is a similarisection on a larger scale ofthe hydraulic spring `and air containers. i s i i Y The carriage a rests" on the horizontal arms of the ,angular levers c applied to the axle b. To the vertical arms of the angular levers are linked the pist-on rods d of pistonse, which are easily displaceable but fit tightly in the cylinder f Which is filled with liquid.l The interior of the cylinder f is divided'by the pistons into threenliquid-tight compartments f1, f2, f3. The'compartnients f1 and fZare refe'rred to in the following description as pressure compartments, the compartment f3 as a damping compartment. At the upper part of the three compartments there is'a` passage g1', g2, g3 for liquid and each of them is con# nected to the` bottom of. a. container tltltg partly lilled'with liquid. Each container is completely closedrand contains airab'ovethe liquid level. While, however, the-container 71,3," afterwards called the damping air co`ntainer, connected to the damping cornpartn ment, contains air above the level of the liquid of about atmospheric pressure, the other `containers h1 andh2 (in the following called the air pressure containers) are filled with air compressedby the pistons c loaded with the weight-.of the carriage. `Closing devices z'l, i2, are provided in the passages g1 and g2 which connect the pressure compartments f1, f2 of the cylinder f with the containers 12.1, k2.

In order to lock the spring system the passages hi and h2 are closedbyrotating the closingidevices through 90 degrees. When the passagesh1 and h2 are closed, the liquid containedin the pressure compartments of the cylinder f cannot be pressed bythe pistons e. into the air containers, and the liquid in the air containers cannot be forced as the FIJ airrex'pands againY into the cylinder; consequently, as the air cannot be compressed and the li uid in the pressure chambers is incompressi le, the pistons e are held in the position they have at any time.

n the sudden release of the spring system, Y

it might happen that the pistons je were yimpelled against one another. rlhis is avoided y the liquid filling the damping eompartment f3 being forced out of the Vcompartment when the-pistons approach one anotherV andY the air contained in the container 7b3 compressed, the increased pressure set upopposing the movement. Also, rictional damping 7 occurs, in therst place by thefriction ofthe liquid flowing in the passages g1, g2, g3,la'nd secondly by the braking action set up-in the compartment f3. 1n one piston there is provided a plunger 7c, which, when thev spring systemis suddenly relieved, is inserted in the cylindrical recess Z of the other piston, so

Vthat pressure is' exerted on the liquid contained in the cylindrical recess. Y

The liquid isforced at high velocity through narrow longitudinal grooves in the plunger. The great resistance to flow ob tained 'in' this y.way effectively prevents impulsive movements of the pistons.

'Iclaimzr' 1.Y :A spring mounting `for the carriage Vof a field gun according to: claimV l,,co1nprisingVV v the side towards the centreof the cylinderv I lowing a restrictediow of the liquid from Y field gun, comprisingv a cylinder, a pair of pistons axially displaceable, fluid-tight in the cylinder,a pressure compartment, completely filled With liquid, in the cylinder on the outward side of each piston, closed recep-A tacles partly lledwith liquid containing air under pressure, passages-connecting saidzre- Vvceptaclesewith said pressure compartments,

a device inserted in eachot said passages adapted to close at will said passages, a damping compartmenty in the cylinder .between said V`pistons, va- :damping receptacle partly Y filled with liquid, containing air substantially at atmospheric pressure,fan`d `a passage con-v necting Asaid damping receptacle with'said damping compartment. i

2.' A spring mounting for the carriage of a alsoa plunger rod secured to one piston on and adapted, when the pistons approach closely, to enter a corresponding,:cylindrical recess on the side of theother piston.

3. A spring mountingffor the carriage of ak field gun according to claim 1,fcompr1sing also a plunger rod secured to one piston on the side towards the centre `of the cylinder`v and adapted,vwhen the pistons lapproach closely, to enter a corresponding cylindrical recess on the side of the other piston, and longitudinal grooves in said plungerV rodfalthe recessas the plunger rod enters it.

` In -testimony whereof lI have ailiXed my signature.V

i l:[-IElNltICH ROMBERG. 

